Method of aligning highway crossing signal lamps



' Aug. 29, 1950 w. B. WELLS 2,520,866

METHOD OF ALIGNING HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL LAMPS Filed March 27, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

We yBWelZs BY M H15 ATTORNEY Aug. 29, 1950 w. B. WELLS 2,520,866

METHOD OF ALIGNING HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL LAMPS Filed March 27, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

\ WbsfeyB.WelZs HIS ATTORNEY w. B. WELLS 2,520,866

METHOD OF ALIGNING HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL. LAMPS- Aug. 29, 1950 4 SheetS-Shet 5 Filed March 27, 1948 JNVEN TOR B. Wells H15 ATTORNEY Aug. 29, 1950 5, WELLS Y 2,520,866

METHOD OF ALIGNING HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL LAMPS Filed March 27, 1948 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 18 JNVENTOR.

Wesl B. Wells BY Z HIS ATTORNEY f atented Aug. 29,

UNITED I METRO-ji- OFRALIGNI? v QR'GSSING SIGNKII mines Wesley B; Wells',- wilkinsfiuia assigfior: to The Union; Switch 8; Signal (lamp-any; Swissvale, Pas, a eor'poration of Pennsylvania fiimlicatiifwMaroll '27, 19 13;,- Sam 1%: 175m Myinvention relates to the'alignin'gmf lamps, and particularly to the aligning of s'ig'na'l mains which are required to give asignal indication to a point spaced from the lamp itself bya consi'd erabIe diSta'nee.

My invention isilIustrated her'ein- 'aS -a-IEpHed to ahighway crossing signer lamp; and it has oer tain' features" of" partieular utility in conneetion withsuellalam Gthe'r' featuresare ofgene'r'al utility in connection with other types' o'f lampsi 7 W2 B2=- Wells for= Light: signal; Such lamps lrave commonly been provided-lwithan ad iust'ableisup' Sort such-as that "shown inL'ettersiPatent 0f the United States N03 2*,05'458'71} issued to W.B; W611"S on se'ptemb'er 20; 1936; for Adjustable sitpporting Structure for Light Signal Unitsi'and th anike.

In the past, this type of signal has usually been aligned by two men, one located at the 'sig'nal ar'id one in the appr'oa'ohinghi'g hway' 30U or2 400 feet from the signal; To-ali'gn the signal; the-- door was-leftopen sothat-the" parallel beam fromthe reflector could beobserved '-by the man in 'the Highway: The alignment" was -at:coimllis'he'd by Having the observer in thehi'ghway signal 150 the man at the lamp unit who adj listed the fllang'p 'suri port until the'-'ob'server was inthe centefoff the beam; This method of alignment required the time of two men, and was "slowand awkward be causeof the difficulty "of 'connnunie'ation"betvveen thet'wo men spaced-some ditan'eeapart".

In order to avoid the necessity of using two men to align a signal lamp, some.lamps...were provided with sighting devices bywhich a man at the signal -lamncould sight onzadistttntpoixitanddiiake sure that theiparallel' beam fromfltheflampfwould with sigh-mag ee vice and ea'oh' sight g ere mutt-lie a g fid Witl i-ts assfibiatedleath darleromit at the ill et-he lampiis mane ac uied'. Tha-adda'cen 'sidrahle -expense tdaclif la'rilp u-t,

1 It i therefore an oldjebtiofmvenmbn-co previde-ametnen foraugfimg a?iamewhereby tne alignment may beaeeommisned-by one mafi A further objedt' 'of 1nve'fitiori is to 'p (ii/ ide an improved method for aligning a lamp with a sighting device carried by'th lamp.

banel vvhidlf cover carried: andfvvhieh ingz-a': lamp with an =-as'sooiate'd sigliting device a lamlisuppoit. Theieightingrdviee i's-tl-ien aligned With-rth'e target bifiadjuxs'ting' athe mountingofith sighting device; The Sighting: I deviceand the lampibeingziaIig-ned, i-the 'sfghtingidevice may then be used to align the lamp with any desired point by adjusting the signal lamp support.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

I shall describe two methods and one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a signal lamp unit and one of my improved reflector units mounted for use in connection with my improved aligning method. Fig. 1a is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the signal lamp mounting structure of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the signal lamp unit of Figs. 1 and 1a. Fig. 3 is an elevational view of my improved reflector unit unfolded and mounted on a tripod. Fig. 4 is an elevational view on a larger scale of my improved reflector unit with the cover panels closed and portions of them broken away to better illustrate the structure beneath. Fig. 5 is 'a bottom view of the reflector unit as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail view taken along the line VI -VI of Fig. 4. Fig. '7 is another perspective sketch illustrating the use of, my combined reflector and target structure in aligning a signal provided with a sighting device. Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of the casing of my combined reflector and target, showing the supporting structure for the target. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IX -JX of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the manner in which the target is mounted on its supporting arm.

Figs. 1 to 6 Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a highway crossing signal comprising a pair of signal lamp units I mounted on a cross arm 2, carried by a pole 3 alongside a highway 4 adjacent a grade crossing with a railway 5. The signal supporting structure is similar to that shown and described completely in my previous Patent No. 2,054,871 For present purposes, it is believed sufficient to state that this supporting structure includes adjusting nuts Ia, (see Fig. 1a) which when loosened, permit rotative adjustment of each signal lamp unit I about a horizontal axis through the cross arm 2, and an adjusting nut lb, which when loosened, permit rotative adjustment of each signal lamp unit I about a vertical axis extending through the adjusting nut lb.

Each signal lamp unitI comprises, as illustrated in Fig. 2, a reflector 6, a lamp bulb I mounted with its filament Ia at the focus of the reflector, and a spreading lens 8 mounted in a hinged door 8, which also carries a hood I and a background I I (see Fig. 1a). The signal lamp unit illustrated herein is more completely shown and described in the patent to Fisher et al. No. 1,878,273, previously mentioned.

A portable reflector unit I2 (see Figs. 1 and 3), described and claimed in my aforesaid divisional application, is mounted in the highway 4 substantially at the most distant point where observation of the signal indication is desired. This may be 300 feet, as indicated in the drawing, or it may be a greater or smaller distance, as required by the local conditions. The reflector I2 is illustrated in detail in Figs.'3,.4, and 6. It appears in Figs. 1 and 3 in its open position, ready for use, and in Figs. 4 and 5 in its folded 4 or closed position, ready for carrying from one location to another.

The reflector unit I2 includes a reflector panel I4 carrying a plurality of reflector buttons I5, A pair of side panels or wings I6 are hinged at the opposite edges of the reflector panel I4. A top panel or cover I! is hinged at the top edge of the reflector panel I4. The reflector panel I4 is mounted in a box I8 by means of four studs I9 which are attached to the box and screws 20 which extend through the reflector panel I4 and are threadedly received in the studs 58.

The top panel I! is provided with a down turned rim portion [1a, which fits over the edges of the box I8 when the reflector unit is closed. The cover I? is also provided with a pair of downwardly projecting lugs I'Ib. When the signal unit is open, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge of each of the side panels 56 is received between one of the lugs Nb and the rim portion I'Ia of the cover Ill. (The front portion of rim Fla is broken away in Fig. 3 to permit better illustration of the parts behind it.) The top and side panels are thus latched together to form a hood which protects the reflector buttons I5 from sources of light other than the signal lamp toward which they are directed. V

The reflector buttons 15 are .of a well-known make, being of the type commonly used on highway signs and the like, having a relatively large acceptance angle and a narrow return beam. I prefer to use buttonsso constructed that they will accept and reflect onlylight directed at the button from within an angle of 15 with the perpendicular. In other words, the button should have an acceptance angle of substantially 30. Asbest shown in Fig. 6, each button I5 comprises a lens portion [5a and a base portion I5b, of somewhat greater diameter. The lens portion I5a projects through an aperture Ida formed in the reflector panel [4. Since the portions I50. and I5?) of the lens are of different diameters, they form a shoulder I50 on the button I5. A backing plate 2| engages the button I5 and holds the shoulder I5c against the reflecting panel I4. The backing plate 2|, may be supported on the panel I lby any suitable means, suchias thescrews 2Ia. The reflector buttons I5 have a reflecting back surface Illd.

A reinforcing plate la is attachedto the bottom of box I8 by any suitable means, for ex'- ample, by spot welding. This reinforcing plate IBa is provided with a threaded aperture lab for receiving a threaded mounting post I301. carried on the tripod I3. When the reflecting unit is closed for caryying, ,asshown in Figs.,4 and 5, a latch lie on the top panel I? engages the aperture I8b.

A pair of upwardly extending straps. .22 are attached bysuitable means to the upper corners of the box IE. The upper ends of the straps 22 are bent over to engage and hold a section of pipe 23, which serves as a handle for the reflector unit when it is in its closed position as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. V When the reflecting unit is mounted in the highway, the staffs 24a of a pair of signal flags 24 may be inserted in the opposite ends of the pipe handle 23, so as to warn approaching motorists of the presence of the reflector unit in the highway.

Operation of Figs. 1 to 6 I2 is first "setup-inthe highway substantially at the point where it is desired to receive the. main; be mDi-m s na T e eflec or is prefe ably m u ted s bstant a at the ye level oidriver oi; approaching vehicles. The-reflecting unit is then directed at the signal. Since the; reflector will accept. light from an angle up. to 15 on either side; o a pendic la ne er efl c n may be; readily directed at the signal by hand wit su ieien a c racy so. a a P an t t may observe the reflectionv of the signal light in the reflector. Having mounted the reflector; iii-the roadway and directed it atthesigeat ni .t e pera tur t r na ame and opens the hinged door 9 so that the parallel beam from the reflector 6 is not spread by the lens 8. He then lights the lamp bulb I, and proceeds to adjust the mounting of the signal unit until the reflection which he gets from the reflector I2 is of maximum intensity. When this is accomplished, he tightens the adjustment closes the door of the signal unit casing, and turns oh the light I. The alignment of the signal unit is then complete. The same process is then repeated for the other signal units I.

The arrangement of the reflector buttons I in a cross-shaped formation aids materially in the use of my reflector. The presence of the horizontal and vertical rows of reflector buttons makes it easy for the operator to tell when the edge of the beam passes over the reflector surface. By noting the positions of the lamp unit at which the two edges of the beam are observed, the operator may split the difierence between those positions and thereby make sure that the center of the beam is directed at the reflector. Any other arrangement of reflector buttons which includes a horizontal row and a vertical row may be used, but the cross-shaped arrangement of one horizontal row and one vertical row crossing at the center of the reflector is believed to be the optimum arrangement.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 In certain instances, it may be undesirable to use the method of lamp alignment just described, either because of an extreme distance between the signal and the point where the signal is to be received, or because heavy trafllc conditions make it impractical to leave an unattended reflector unit standing in the roadway, or for other reasons. For example, railway signals, as distinguished from crossing signals, are sometimes required to be visible for as much as a mile. In such cases, it may be very inconvenient for the operator aligning the signal to mount the reflector a mile away and then return to the signal to align it. When such conditions are encountered, the method and apparatus for aligning a signal disclosed in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 may be used.

In Fig. 7, there are shown a pair of signal units I, which may be the same as the signal units I of Fig. l. A sighting device, illustrated as a telescope 25, is attached to the background of signal I by means of an adjustable mounting clamp 26. Any suitable universal mounting clamp may be used. The reflector I2 is illustrated in Fig. 7 as being mounted much closer to the signal lamp I than was the case in Fig. 1 and oil the highway out of the way of trafiic. In Fig. 7, a distance of 50 feet is illustrated, but greater or smaller distances may be used. An extension arm 21 is mounted on the reflector I2, and carries a target 28.

A reinforcing plate 29 is attached by suitable means; by spot w lding, o the task of the reflector box I8. {I-hi's reinforcing plate is pro vided'with a suitabl'ethreaded aperture to receive a thumb screw 30, which passes through a suit-'- able aperture in the extension arm 2?, and holds the arm 21' in any desirable angul'arly adjusted positionwith respect to the reflector boxIB. The arm 21 is illustrated as being a flat bar or rectangular cross-section. A pair of spring clamps M are riveted or otherwise suitably attached to the back of target 28, so that the target may ,1i'de .:along; the-arm. 2;Izand be f'rictiorially held in any adjusted position. It should be noted that the spring clamps 3I have flat portions 3Ia which engage the upper and lower sides of the bar 21 and therefore prevent rotation of the target 28.

with respect to the bar.

Operation of Figs. 7 to 9 In order to align a lamp using the apparatus: of these three figures, an operator first attaches.

a portable sighting device such as the telescope: 25 to the background or other part of the signal unit which moves concurrently with the signal lamp as the latter is adjusted. The operator then carefully measures the lateral and Ver-- tical distances X and Y between the center of the signal unit and the sighting device 25. The reflector unit I2 is then set up at any convenient distance and in any convenient direction from the signal lamp I. The extension arm 2'! is attached to the reflector unit I2, and its angular position and the position of target 28 of the arm 2? are adjusted so that the horizontal and vertical distances between the center of the reflector panel and the target 28 are the same as the horizontal and vertical distances between the center of signal lamp I and the telescope 25. The operator then returns to the signal lamp and, after swinging the hinged lens cover aside and turning on the lamp, adjusts the signal support so that a reflection of maximum intensity is received at the signal from the reflector I2. The direction of the parallel beam from the signal lamp to the reflector is then accurately established. The lens cover is then closed to restore the background to its normal position. The mounting 26 of the sighting device 25 is then adjusted so that the sighting device is lined up with the target 28. This insures that the sighting device is parallel with the beam from the signal lamp I. The signal lamp I is then aligned with any desired remote point by adjusting its mounting structure until the sighting device 25 is aligned with that point. It should be noted, that in using this method, the reflector I2 may be set .up at a convenient point, fairly close to the signal lamp, and out of the path of traflic.

This method may also be used when the sighting device is built into the signal lamp unit and it is desired to either adjust or check the parallelism between the sighting device and the beam from the signal lamp.

Although I have herein shown and described only two methods embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

The method of aligning a signal lamp which includes a lamp and reflector unit for producing a parallel beam of light and a lens for spread- 7 ing the beein, cofzifi'rising the steps of mounting a portable reflector at a. point spaced from the lamp, directing the portable reflector at the lamp, removing the lens, lighting the lamp, ad: justing the lamp and reflector unit until the reflection from'the portable reflector is at its maximum intensity at the lamp, and replacing the lens.

WESLEY B. WELLS,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: J

Number Martin Aug. 6, 1946 

